List of kings of Numidia
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Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom located in the region of North Africa that today comprises Algeria and parts of today Tunisia, Libya and Morocco. The kingdom existed from the 3rd to the 1st century BC. Numidia was originally composed of two large kingdoms: the Massyles in the east and the Massaessyles in the west, until it was unified into a single kingdom by Massinissa. Rome established it as a client kingdom after the Second Punic War and annexed it, first in 46 BC and again in 25 BC after a brief period of restored independence under King Juba II (30 BC–25 BC).
| King of Numidia | |
|---|---|
The Numidian sun, traditionnaly represented as the Numidian coat of arm. | |
.png){kind=spacer} Bust of King Massinissa | |
| Details | |
| Style | King of the Numidians, Agellid |
| First monarch | Madghis |
| Last monarch | Ptolemy of Mauretania |
| Formation | c. 400BC |
| Abolition | 40/42 |
| Residence | Cirta, Siga, and Caesarea in Mauretania |
After this, the kingdom became the Numidian kingdom of Mauretania, being ruled by Juba II as a client king. The royal line definitely ended in 40 after Juba II's son, Ptolemy was murdered by his cousin, Caligula. The kingdom itself actually ended after the demise of Ptolemy's former slave, Aedemon who had revolted from 40 to 42 against Rome, after this, the kingdom gets completely annexed by the Roman Empire.
Before Massinissa's unification there were two distinct groups:
- The Massylii or Maesulians were a Berber[1][2] federation in eastern Numidia (central and eastern Algeria),[3] which was formed by an amalgamation of smaller tribes during the 4th century BC.[4] They were ruled by a king. On their loosely defined western frontier were the powerful Masaesyli. To their east lay the territory of the rich and powerful Carthaginian Republic. Their relationship to Carthage resembled that of a protectorate.[4] Carthage maintained its dominance over the Massylii by skillful diplomatic manoeuvering, playing off local tribal and kingdom rivalries.[4] The principal towns of the Massylii were Cirta, Tébessa and Thugga in modern-day Algeria and Tunisia.
- The Massaesylii were a Berber confederate kingdom of western Numidia (central and western Algeria)[5][6] and the main antagonists of the Massylii in eastern Numidia. The kingdom of Massaesylia extended all the way west to Mulucha river and under Syphax its authority extended to the Strait of Gibraltar.[7][8]
Massylian and Masaesylian dynasty (c. 400- 202 BC)
Semi-legendary
Some Numidian kings are only known though legends, while they could have existed, most of the details about their lives have been either exaggerated or completely invented. Among those kings there is Madghis who is believed to be an ancestor of the Numidians. There is also the mythical founder of the dynasty, Iles whose life is surrounded by mystery and whose existence is heavily debatable, some historians do not even consider him as a king who existed. This is why those kings are semi-legendary.
| Name | Reign | Succession | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madghis | Unknown | Founded the kingdom? | King of Numidia of which the mausoleum of Medghacen was named after.[9][10][11] Not related to the other Numidian kings. |
| Zelalsan | Unknown | Possibly the son of Madghis. | Believed to have been a shuphet, nothing else known. |
| Iles | Unknown | Not related to the two before. Took the throne after his predecessor's death. | Believed to have unified his kingdom and founder of the Massyliian dynasty. |
Kings of the Massylii (Eastern Numidia)
The last ruler of the Massylii conquered the Masaesyli and created the unified Numidian kingdom.
| Name | Reign | Succession | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylimas | c. 344 – c. 310 BC (34 years) |
Son of Iles. | Allied with Agathocles of Syracuse then betrayed him, resulting in his own death after a siege. He was succeeded by his brother Niptasan. |
| Niptasan | c. 310 – c. 274 BC (36 years) |
Brother of Aylimas | Nothing much known, inherited the kingdom after his brother's demise. |
| Zelalsan II | c. 274 – c. 250/260 BC (24/34 years) |
Brother of Niptasan | First king for which there is reliable historical information; vassal for Carthage. |
| Gaia | 260 – 207 BC (53 years) |
son of Zelalsan II. | Unknown – 207 BC Intensified his kingdom's relation with its neighbors, first true king. |
| Oezalces | 207 – 206 BC (a year) |
Brother of Gaia | Unknown – 206 BC His reign was defined by internal turbulence and instability, after reigning for a year, he wasoverthrown and killed by his own son, Capussa, which created a civil war.[12] |
| Capussa | 206 BC (few months) |
Son of Oezalces, took power after overthrowing him. | Unknown – 206 BC He reigned very briefly and was defeated and killed in a coup d'état by Mazaetullus. He proclaimed as a King, Lacumazes, the youngest son of Oezalces, then set himself as a regent.[13][14] |
| Lacumazes | 206 BC (few months) |
Brother of Capussa, took power after his brother's murder by Mazaetullus. | Unknown lifespan Reigned as the puppet of Mazaetullus who held all of the true power. Overthrown by Massinissa and forced to flee with his regent. Came back to the court years later and pardoned by Massinissa |
| Mazaetullus | 206 BC (few months; disputed) |
Son of Naravas. Killed his predecessor Capussa in a coup and ruled as de facto ruler. | Unknown lifespan Overthrown by Massinissa, had to take refuge in Syphax's court. Fate unknown. |
| Massinissa | 206 – 202 BC (4 years) |
Son of Gaia, overthrew both Lacumazes and Mazaetullus. | 238 – 148 BC Reigned for a few years then defeated Syphax and founded the unified kingdom of Numidia. Fought as an ally for Rome. |
Kings of the Masaesyli (Western Numidia)
| Name | Reign | Succession | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aylimas | c.340 – 310 BC (34 years) |
Believed to be the son and successor of Iles, conquered the kingdom of the Masaesyli. | Allied with Agathocles of Syracuse then betrayed him, resulting in his own death after a siege. He was succeeded by his brother Niptasan. |
| Naravas | Unknown (disputed) |
Son of Zelalsan II, believed to have reigned as king. | He played a pivotal role in the Mercenary War (241–238 BCE), initially joining the Libyan rebels before later aligning with Carthage, an alliance that significantly shifted the balance of power during the conflict.[15] |
| Syphax | c. 225 – c. 203 BC (22 years) |
Predecessor uncertain | 250 – 202 BC He ruled over a territory extending from present day Constantine to Moulouya.[16][17] The territory from the Moulouya until the Strait of Gibraltar and Tingis were also under the authority of Syphax.[18][19][20] He was defeated by Massinissa and captured by the romans. Died in captivity in 202 BC. |
| Vermina | c. 203 – c. ? BCE (uncertain) |
Son of Syphax | Unknown lifespan After arriving late at the Battle of Zama, he was defeated and forced to sue for peace by the romans after escaping. Huge portions of his territories were annexed after this.[21] While Vermina escaped this battle, he was forced to sue for peace with the Romans in 200 BC.[21] |
| Archobarzane | c. ? – c. 175 BCE (uncertain) |
Son of Vermina | Unknown lifespan Contrary to his father, who sought peace with the Romans after the Second Punic War, Archobarzane seems to have been in favor of Carthage. His kingdom was therefore annexed by Massinissa around 157 BC, with the blessing of Rome and his fate after this remains unknown. [22]. |
Unified Numidia
The three sons of Massinissa originally shared the kingdom, dividing responsibility. Micipsa later tried the same thing with his three heirs, but the result was a civil war. The Roman Republic defeated Numidia during the Jugurthine War. Gauda thus succeeded to a reduced Numidian kingdom. He divided the kingdom geographically between his two sons, establishing two different lines of Numidian kings. They were briefly displaced by a certain Hiarbas, but Roman intervention restored them.
| Name | Reign | Succession | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masinissa | 202 – 148 BCE (50 years) |
First king of unified Numidia after Syphax's defeat, made his kingdom a huge regional power in North Africa. | c. 238 BC – 148 BC[23] (aged 90) Died of old age. |
| Micipsa | 148 – 118 BCE (30 years) |
Inherited the throne with his two brother but outlived them by almost 30 years and reigned alone from then. | c. 198 – 118 (aged 80) Probably died of old age. |
| Gulussa | 148 – 145 BCE (3 years) |
Chosen as successor with his two brothers, great general and tactician. Nothing else known. | Unknown lifespan Cause of death unknown. |
| Mastanabal | 148 – 140 BCE (8 years) |
Chosen as successor with his two brothers. Won a gold medal at the Athens Hippodrome in a horse-drawn chariot racing event. | Unknown lifespan No mention of him after 139BC, most likely died of illness. |
| Hiempsal I | c. 118 – c. 117 BCE (less than a year) |
Son and successor of Micipsa with his brother Adherbal and his cousin Jugurtha. | ? – c. 117 BCE (age unknown) Murdered with his supporters by Jugurtha's men.[24] |
| c. 118 – c. 112 BCE (6 years) |
Son and successor of Micipsa with his brother Hiempsal I and his cousin Jugurtha. | ? – c. 112 BCE (age unknown) Besieged and murdered by Jugurtha despite being put under protection by the Romans.[25] | |
| Jugurtha | 118 – 105 BCE (13 years) |
Son of Mastanabal, overthrew and killed all of his rivals resulting in a war with Rome. | c. 160 – 104 BCE (aged 56) Defeated and captured by the Romans then thrown into the Tullianum prison, where he was executed by strangulation.[26] |
| Massiva II | 111 – 110 BCE (a year; disputed)[a] |
Fled to Rome after his cousin's murder where he claimed the Numidian throne and probably was chosen as a rival king by the Roman Senate. | ? – 110 BC (age unknown) Murdered by Jugurtha's men in Rome. |
| Gauda | 105 – 88 BCE (17 years) |
Brother of Jugurtha, placed as king by the romans after his brother's defeat. Last king of unified Numidia. | ? – 88 BCE (age unknown) Died of unknown causes. |
Dynastic conflicts
Eastern Numidia
This was the main Numidian kingdom after 81.
- Hiempsal II (88–60), son of Gauda
- Juba I (60–46), son of Hiempsal II
Annexed to Rome as province Africa Nova (46–30).
- Juba II (30–25), son of Juba I
Annexed to Rome as province Africa Proconsularis (25 BCE - 193 CE).
Western Numidia
This was a much smaller chiefdom than Eastern Numidia
- Masteabar (88–81)
- Massinissa II (81–46)
- Sittius (46–44), a Roman mercenary leader
- Arabio (44–40)
Annexed to Rome as part of province Africa Nova (40–30).
- Juba II (30–25), son of Juba I
Annexed to the Kingdom of Mauretania (25 BCE - 40 CE).
Massylian-Ptolemaic dynasty of Mauretania (25 BC–40 AD)
| Name | Reign | Succession | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juba II | 25 BC – 23 AD (47 years) |
Son of Juba I, placed as client king of Mauretania by Rome. | 48/46 BC– 23 AD Died suddenly of natural causes.[27] |
| Cleopatra Selene II | 25 BC – 5 BC (20 years) |
Daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, was married to Juba II and ruled as co-ruler. | 40 BC – 5 BC Died suddenly of unknown causes at the age of 35. |
| Tacfarinas | 17 – 24 (7 years; disputed) |
Styled himself as king and revolted against the roman presence in Numidia by allying with local tribes; non-dynastic. | Unknown – 24 Killed himself by impaling himself on the spears of roman soldiers to avoid capture.[28] |
| Ptolemy of Mauretania | 20 – 40 AD (20 years) |
Son of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II, chosen as co-ruler by his father in 20 BC. | 13~9 BC – 40 AD[29] Murdered by his cousin Caligula, motivations unclear, possibly jealousy. Last regnant king. |
Non-dynastic rebels (40–69)
| Name | Reign | Succession | Life details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aedemon | 40 – 42 (2 years) |
Freed servant of Ptolemy who rebelled in his name after his murder. Possibly claimed to be his son.[30] | Unknown – 42 Killed during a battle, possibly against Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, kingdom annexed after this. |
| Sabalus | 42 – 44 (2 years) |
Succeeded Aedemon as rebel leader | Unknown Ended up surrendering to Gnaeus Hosidius Geta after being tricked into believing that he had surnatural powers. Fate unknown. |
| Albinus (Juba III) |
69 (few weeks/months?) |
Former roman procurator who revolted and styled himself as king of Mauretania in 69 during the crisis. Possibly claimed Numidian Heritage.[31] | Unknown – 69 Rapidly apprehended and executed with his wife, presumably by Vitellius's forces.[31] |
Notes
- After Adherbal's murder, Massiva, a son of Gulussa fled to Rome where he claimed the Numidian throne. It is unknown but highly possible that the Roman Senate hailed him as a rival king against Jugurtha